The name, Senator Daisy Danjuma, is one that will readily ring a bell, especially in high society circles.
Beautiful, classy, graceful and intelligent are words that can be used to describe her without being patronising. Her looks belie her age, and that is why some people are surprised that she will be clocking 70 years old on Saturday, August 6, 2022.
Already, her family members, friends and colleagues are getting ready to celebrate her in a spectacular way as she marks the milestone age. If other events she and her family have hosted in the past are anything to go by, it goes without saying that her 70th birthday will also be one for the books. Indeed, tongues are already wagging in elite circles and beyond as to how Daisy’s big day will be commemorated.
Born in 1952 in Benin, Edo State, Daisy is one woman who is always elegantly turned out whenever she attends events.
Though married to a billionaire and former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma, Daisy does not have airs around her, and that has endeared her to many.
A certified head-turner, Daisy is effortlessly the cynosure of all eyes whenever she attends events. Impeccable and elegant, yet understated and modest, she doesn’t go out of her way to look beautiful; it comes naturally to her. Her radiant smile also usually brightens her face like make-up.
Her love for choice jewellery is also second to none, as she is known to go for unique pieces that lighten up whichever outfit she adorns.
Daisy used to be a staple at high profile events in the country but in recent years, it seems she has slowed down. These days, she appears to be selective of the events she attends.
However, it is not in doubt that she has continued to age gracefully, as she can easily make much younger ladies green with envy.
An accomplished businesswoman and politician, Daisy represented the Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate between 2003 and 2007. She recontested the seat in 2011 but was unsuccessful, though that has in no way diminished her public profile, nor dampened her enthusiasm for helping the underprivileged in society.
While in the Senate, she served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs and Youth Development. She was also a member of other committees, including health, education, finance and land transport.
She is a prominent part of her husband’s TY Danjuma Foundation, which has positively impacted the lives of many over the years.
Among other things, the foundation provides free eye care services as part of its initiative , ‘Vision for a Brighter Future’. It also has programmes in the areas of maternal and child health, neglected tropical diseases, and blindness.
In the area of education, they provide support for Universal Basic Education through teacher’s training and empowerment. This is even as they award scholarships to indigent students.
Blessed with both beauty and brain, Daisy is the Chairman of May and Baker Nigeria Plc. She has also served on the board of several companies. Between 1999 and 2003, she was the Chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum Limited. She is a trustee of the H I D Awolowo Foundation; as well as the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership.
In the legal field, she is a member of the International Bar Association, the Nigerian Bar Association, and the International Federation of Women Lawyers.
In 2021, she was named the ‘Woman of the Year’ at the tenth edition of the Edo Festival and Award Ceremony held in London, United Kingdom.
Daisy attended the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, where she bagged a degree in Law. She went on to work as an executive assistant at NAL Merchant Bank. Upon leaving NAL, she worked with Nigerian Television Authority as the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser. (Punch)
